1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote plasma generator, and more particularly to a remote plasma generator using an inductively coupled plasma technique.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plasma sources are widely used in several processes during the manufacture of semiconductor devices, such as etching, stripping, cleaning of the devices., etc. In a process utilizing the plasma, density and uniformity of the plasma generation affect efficiency of the process. Consequently, several efforts have been made to increase the density and uniformity of the plasma generation.
A plasma process system employing a remote plasma generator remotely generates plasma and supplied the generated plasma to a process chamber, thereby preventing the yield deterioration due to particles generated by a plasma reaction. However, since process gas of a plasma condition is remotely supplied to the process chamber, the density of plasma generated by the remote plasma generator should be high.
Therefore, efforts have been made to increase the density of the plasma generated by the remote plasma generator. In order to increase the density of the plasma generation, a large portion of A.C. (alternating current) power supplied from the A.C. source should be converted to ionization energy. Thus, I provide a remote plasma generator with the high density of the plasma generation.
The present invention is disclosed in order to overcome the aforesaid and other drawbacks of the background art.
It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a remote plasma generator for improving the density of the plasma generation.
It is another object to provide a remote plasma generator for increasing the efficiency of energy transmission.
It is yet another object to provide a remote plasma generator for improving the density of the plasma generation that is easy and inexpensive to implement.
It is still another object to provide a remote plasma generator for improving the density of the plasma generation that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a remote plasma generator which receives an A.C. source supplied from an A.C. power, ionizes process gas supplied from a gas source, generates plasma gas, and remotely supplies the generated gas to a process chamber, including: a main body including a gas inlet connected to the gas source and a gas outlet connected to the process chamber; a core cylinder installed within the main body and cylindrical-shaped with an opening penetrating its center; a ring-shaped core installed on the core cylinder; a connection pipe for connecting the outer surface of the main body to the inner surface of the core cylinder; and an inductor coil wound on the ring-shaped core and exposed to the outside of the main body via the connection pipe so as to be electrically connected to the A.C. power.
Preferably, the main body and the core cylinder may be made of a metal tube.
A ring-shaped insulator may be respectively attached to upper and lower surfaces of an inner plate of the core cylinder.
Further, preferably, the inner plate of the core cylinder insulated by the insulators may be connected to a part of the wound coil of the inductor coil.
The inductor coil may receive ignition power and A.C. power during an ignition section, and the inner plate of the core cylinder insulated by the insulators may serve as an ignition plug.
Moreover, preferably, the A.C. power and the ignition power may use one of a synchronous system and an asynchronous system.
The ring-shaped core may be at least one core stacked within the core cylinder.
The A.C. power may be a sine wave.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote plasma generator which receives an A.C. source supplied from an A.C. power, ionizes process gas supplied from a gas source, generates plasma gas, and remotely supplies the generated gas to a process chamber, including: a main body including a gas inlet connected to the gas source and a gas outlet connected to the process chamber; a core cylinder installed within the main body and cylindrical-shaped with an opening penetrating its center; a ring-shaped core connected to the main body by parallel aligned two openings penetrating the main body; a vertical connector formed between two openings of the main body with upper and lower surfaces insulated from the main body by insulators; and an inductor coil wound on the ring-shaped core and having one end connected to the upper surface of the vertical connector and the other end connected to the lower surface of the vertical connector so as to use the vertical connector as a line extended from the core.
Preferably, the main body and the core cylinder may be made of a metal tube.
The inductor coil may receive ignition power and A.C. power during an ignition section, and the vertical connector insulated by the insulator may serve as an ignition plug.
Further, preferably, the A.C. power and the ignition power may use one of a synchronous system and an asynchronous system.
The ring-shaped core may be at least one core stacked within the core cylinder.
Moreover, the A.C. power may be a sine wave.